Episode 3
In Episode 3 of There Will Be Dungeons... Reeling from the shocking fall and demise of the Hillmaster, the adventurers attempt to regroup and understand what has happened. On his body, they find several items of interest. Several hand drawn renditions of Softhead, a key to the Dragon Engine room far above them, and instructions for the function and maintenance of the well. In the floor of the room, is yet another trap door. Upon opening the door, a huge cavern is discovered. Through the cavern runs an unbelievable sight...a river! Crossing the river is a metal bridge leading to a dark opening in the cavern wall. Also, the damage to the well is finally found...a cave-in has damaged the pipes leading up to the Dragon Engine. The party finds a fenced off room containing tools and materials that can be used to repair the piping - given the time. Hope sets forth on repairing the system, which will take many hours, to several days, to complete. Upon completion of the repairs, the party rests to gain strength before the long trip back to the surface. During their rest, Nash is suddenly roused to find Softhead straddling his body, poised to attack! The gnome is successful in stabbing Nash in the head, but Nash is able to awaken the rest of the party, who quickly come to his aid. During the fight, Softhead is able to disengage and rush quickly towards a small dock on the river in an attempt to escape. But before he can make good on his escape, Vorel throws a wrench at him, which contacts his head and knocks him unconscious into the river, and Softhead is quickly swept away...his fate unknown. Following the altercation, the party gathers their wits. During this brief respite, they begin to hear strange sounds from the dark opening at the far side of the metal bridge reaching over the river. A sounds like pots clanging together can be heard issuing from the darkness. Following the sounds into the darkness, the adventurers come upon a huge doorway in the rock, flanked by equally huge statues of dwarves. Guarding the doorway are two skeletons of dwarven size, wearing ancient armor and weapons, who appear to be carrying on a conversation. Instead of disturbing the dwarves, Hope sneaks past them through the archway and into a large entrance area. Not one for subtlety, Stanley instead addresses them directly. But to his dismay, no response can be elicited from them, and the party moves on deeper into the darkness. Beyond the entrance is a large gathering area - seemingly a great hall, with dozens of skeletons conversing, moving about, and carrying out what appear to be normal tasks, without any concern for the presence of the party. Little information can be determined as to why why these skeletons are carrying on as they are. But then skeletons appear to be performing activities that they would have in life. As the adventurers continue watch, the skeletons appear to be repeating their actions over and over, as if they are stuck in an eternal loop. Leaving Vorel and Stanley to guard the entrance, Nash and Hope continue on into the dwarven city. During their search, they find several items of interest. A set of keys, with an unknown purpose, and a bizarre device that appears to be an engine with two rockets attached to it, designed to be worn on the back. They also discover a large metal "man", which turns out to be some sort of medical automaton, referring to itself and C4N-D13. It performs an examination of Nash and finds him ridled with a disease called "cancer". Nash and Hope also discover that C4N-D13 has been "alive" for over 873 years! While Nash and Hope explore the dwarven city, Vorel and Stanley spend some quality time getting to know each other more, and exchanging stories from their pasts. They discuss the nature of Hope's gender, the mysteries of fashion and textiles, and proper pronunciation of "skeletal". Meanwhile, C4N-D13 goes on to explain that its purpose is to provide medical assistance to the city of Moag Ferhain, which has apparently undergone great changes since it was deactivated by Queen Amelda over 543 years ago. C4N-D13 goes on to also warn Nash and Hope that it has detected the presence of a demon...an Imp known as "Quizquoz the Dream Drinker" Hope and Nash quickly head to the noble quarters where C4N-D13 has detected this demonic presence. Here, they encounter the demon itself, and a living dwarf! Queen Amelda herself has been enslaved by Quizquoz, and has had a strange apparatus attached to her head, allowing the Dream Drinker to "smoke" her dreams. Category:Episodes